Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Renzo Gracie
The first round began and they touched gloves. Eddie Bravo is commentating. Gracie landed a body kick, Sakuraba replied to the leg. He missed another. They clinched as Gracie flurried. Gracie kneed the body to the clinch. Gracie pulled guard and he already had the left arm isolated. Sakuraba stood eating an upkick. Gracie stood as well. "Renzo has knocked people out with that kick from the bottom." Gracie landed a leg kick partially checked. Gracie landed another good right low kick as Quadros observed. Gracie landed a big leg kick. Gracie landed another leg kick. Sakuraba got a good ankle pick, stood and kicked the leg. Again. The crowd roared with each one. Another kick to the leg there. Another. And another hard one. Another. The crowd was loving it. There was a stalemate. Sakuraba landed a kick to the leg. Gracie stood smoothly. Sakuraba faked the high kick. Gracie had his hands low putting his chin out there. Gracie partially blocked a high kick. Gracie showboated to show that he wasn't hurt. Gracie landed a leg kick and ate a right hand. Sakuraba stuffed a single nicely and missed a knee and a right hook. What an action-packed fight. "Sakuraba is really not known for his hands," Eddie Bravo said there. Sakuraba landed a body kick and a right hand nicely. That was a hard one. Sakuraba landed a nice leg kick. Another hard one. Sakuraba was patient. They stared at each other circling. Sakuraba switched to southpaw. Sakuraba stuffed a single, missed a knee and then a leg kick. Five minutes left in the ten-minute round. Sakuraba landed a leg kick and they exchanged. Gracie landed an inside kick nicely. Both commentators were impressed with Renzo's standup. Gracie pressed forward missing wildly. They clinched up. "I have a strange feeling that we're not going to see too much ground work tonight," Bravo said. Not much was going on. It was a bit of a stalemate. Gracie's corner told him to break and throw a right hook simultaneously. Three minutes left as Gracie kneed the body. Hmm. Nothing was happening. The ref finally broke them up. They touched gloves and continued. Gracie blocked a body kick partially, it dug in under the right arm regardless. Gracie bounced around a lot afterwards. He landed a stiff left hook and an inside leg kick. It was a hard one. Gracie missed a big high kick. Gracie missed a big left hook. Sakuraba had his hands down. One minute left. Gracie came forward with his hands both high and landed a leg kick there. He was showboating. "Sakuraba getting fancy here." Gracie blocked a high kick and ate a right hand. Sakuraba landed a good leg kick. Gracie charged in missing. The first round ended. Very close round, I'd say Gracie won that round. The commentators both agreed. It was close. The second round began and they touched gloves. Sakuraba came out southpaw. Sakuraba stuffed a single and shoved Gracie down. He kicked the leg and faked the jumping guard pass. The crowd oohed. Sakuraba missed a side kick coming down. "He is one of the most creative mixed martial arts." Gracie was kicking from the bottom. Sakuraba landed a spinning back kick to the leg. "I've never seen that one before." "Andy Hug passed away several days ago." Sakuraba kicked the leg. Gracie landed the upkick to the nose. Sakuraba landed a hard leg kick. Gracie faked the kick. He landed one. He tried a cartwheeling guard pass. The crowd oohed. Gracie faked the cartwheel and kicked the leg. Gracie kicked the leg again and again and again. Gracie stood eating a right hand. Sakuraba got a single after ducking a right, into the half-butterfly guard. Sakuraba passed to half-guard. The crowd oohed. Gracie wasn't fully passed. Mainly butterfly guard here. Gracie regained guard. Sakuraba stood. He came back down into guard. Matsui and Takada were in Sakuraba's corner. Gracie was tying Sakuraba up for a stalemate. Sakuraba landed a right elbow to the thigh. The ref wanted action. So do I. Five minutes gone in this ten-minute round. Sakuraba is definitely winning this round. Sakuraba stood and kicked the leg. He danced away from the ropes. Gracie was holding the foot and hopping around in a circle pulling Gracie around comically. The crowd oohed. Gracie hopped up dodging a left hook. Sakuraba landed a leg kick and ate a counter right hand. Gracie landed an inside kick, stuffed a single, kneed the body and landed a right hand. Gracie blocked a high kick nicely. The crowd roared. Gracie stuffed a single and kneed the body, breaking away with a good right hand. Those were good knees. "This will definitely go to overtime." Gracie seemed a bit tired. Sakuraba shot and got a single off the ankle-pick as Quadro noted, Sakuraba got it to basically half-guard. Sakuraba stood out. Gracie escaped and stood and got the standing back beautifully. Sakuraba worked a standing kimura. Gracie dumped him down. One minute left. Sakuraba kept working that kimura patiently as Gracie waited. Sakuraba stood and spun out on top with it down into half-guard. He had the kimura tight. Oh god, that elbow is nasty. Oooooh wow. Oh wow, the ref stopped it. It's over. Technical submission victory for Sakuraba. Sakuraba hugged Gracie on the ground. Gracie's arm was broken.